MTB or Cyclocross

[wilko]

I've lost a bit of confidence cycling on the road, I have a Spesh Secteur Elite, and so I have decided to sell the road bike and get something that I can take down tracks and towpaths etc. I'm not expecting to go full out off road, but want something that will take a bit of stick. What do you reckon?

 

[ayceejay]

I fully understand that wilko. I asked a similar question a couple of weeks ago and didn't garner any response but this is what I discovered on my own. A 29er will be better than a MTB for what you intend to do but as you are used to a road bike I think a 'cross bike will suit you better. Boardman, Planet X etc all have suitable offerings. A note on sizing, I am not sure all cross bikes are higher off the ground than a regular road bike but the Ridley's definitely are so check the 'standover' before you buy.

 

[lulubel]

If you like the road bike, then I'd say a cross bike is a good option.

From what I've seen (I looked at the geometry of a lot of different cross bikes before I bought my current bike) cross bikes generally have a higher bottom bracket than road bikes, which means you might need to look at a smaller frame size to get the standover height you need. My old road bike was a 47cm frame and my cross bike is 42cm. (I had a choice of 42cm or 46cm, and the 46cm was too big, while the 42cm was a little bit small and I needed to get a longer seat post. The ideal would probably have been 44cm, but that wasn't an option.)

 

[smokeysmoo]

CX bike . I went back to an MTB a few years ago after riding a road bike for a while, I hated it. I sold the MTB and got another road bike. Then I also added a CX bike a couple of years ago, (Focus Mares AX1.0). The CX bike was a real hoot to ride. In fact I ended up putting slick tyres on it as the knobblies just made me want to ride it anywhere and everywhere. I used to get some real funny looks when I blasted past MTB'ers blowing out of their @rses on some of the trails around here.

I only sold mine due to cash flow issues, but as soon as I can I'll definitely get another one

[EDIT] FWIW my Focus Mares was the same size frame as the Focus Cayo Pro road bike I used to have, and also the same size as the CAAD10 I have now.

 

[2wd]

I have just bought a brand new Specialized Tricross Sport (2011 model) and I love it

I bought it because my Specialized Allez road bike is far too good for using on the pot holed roads round here.

The Tricross is real fun to ride,point it and off she goes

Makes mince meat of the poor road surfaces

I even went off road down a steep cobbled/unmade farm path the other day absolutely no problem (apart from scaring the life out of me as I haven't done that for 35 years )

Can highly recommend a CX

 

[Norm]

I have just bought a brand new Specialized Tricross Sport (2011 model) and I love it

I bought it because my Specialized Allez road bike is far too good for using on the pot holed roads round here.

The Tricross is real fun to ride,point it and off she goes

Makes mince meat of the poor road surfaces

I even went off road down a steep cobbled/unmade farm path the other day absolutely no problem (apart from scaring the life out of me as I haven't done that for 35 years )

Can highly recommend a CX

Replace Allez for Secteur and that's my thoughts precisely.

 

[PK99]

Unless you want to go hardcore off roading down rocky slopes and root fields - A cx bike is the way to go. Gobbles single track and towpath and is no slouch on the road..

Tricross (disc elite) gets my vote

 

[Hicky]

I commute in on a Surly crosscheck down canal paths/cobbles each day(now it is getting drier...Manchesters version of dry!).
Superb fun.